Sebastian Escobar Parra Former staff

Sebastian Escobar Parra is a fermentation scientist and chocolate R&D specialist with over 16 years of international experience in cacao fermentation, bioprocess development and scaling-up engineering, post-harvest innovation, and analytical flavour science. He has a proven track record of leading million-dollar innovation projects across Latin America and Europe, from concept and lab/pilot-scale bioreactors to industrial applications. He is an expert in volatile compound analysis, flavour precursor profiling, and bean-to-bar process design. A strategic thinker with a strong focus on innovation, business impact, and sustainability, Sebastian combines technical expertise with strong communication skills. He is fluent in English and Spanish, has basic knowledge of French, and is highly adaptable to global, interdisciplinary environments.

Core Skills
• Fermentation & Bioprocess Engineering – Expertise in cacao fermentation, equipment and new products development, Bioprocess scaling-up, post-harvest optimization, and controlled bioprocesses.
• Innovation Aligned with Market & Flavour Goals - Created scalable, sustainable solutions to transform cocoa into high-value products aligned with sensory and market demands.
• Project Management – Leading R&D initiatives with a strong focus on sustainability, impact, and market readiness.
• Sensory Evaluation & Flavour Profiling
• Technical Leadership – Coaching multidisciplinary teams and collaborating with research institutions and open innovation partners.
• Analytical & Quality Assessment – Skilled in UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS, HPLC, and SPME-HS-GC-MS.
• Scientific Writing & IP Management
• Stakeholder Engagement & Tech Transfer
• Regulatory & Intellectual Property Management – Ensuring food safety compliance and safeguarding R&D innovations.
• Sustainable Ingredient Innovation – Circular economy approached. Developing and validating novel raw materials for improved product functionality